Combination screw and ratchet wrench for tank car safety valves



' May 27, 1941.

3 Sheets-Sheet l \{ALVES G. J. LANGMYHR COMBINATION SCREW- AND RAZTGHETWRENCH FOR TANK CAR SAFETY May 27, 1941.

' Filed Dec. so, 1938 3.$heets-Shee t 2 May 27, 1941.

G. J. LANGMYHR COMBINATION SCREW AND RA'I'CHET WRENCH FOR TANK CARSAFETY VALVES s. She'ets-Sheet 3- Filed Dec. 50, 1938.

Patented May 27, 1941 more s'r res CQBEINATION SCREW AND' RATCHET WRENCHFOR TANK VALVES George ada, assignor to CAR SAFETY J. Langmyhr, Sarnia,Ontario, Can- Standard Oil Development Company, a corporation ofDelaware Application December 30, 1938, Serial No. 248,446

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a ratchet wrench assembly, and moreparticularly it relates to a ratchet wrench for breaking a threadedjoint between cylindrical members.

The invention and its objects may be fully understood by reference tothe following specification when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the wrench assembly, with parts broken away,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the assembly, with a section thereofremoved along the line II-II of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the wrench assembly as applied to atank car safety valve,

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation showing a substituted element in theassembly,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a sectional form of ratchet wheel collar,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the ratchet wheel collarshown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of an alternate form of wrench body.

Although various adaptions of the invention may be made, in 1 to 4inclusive, there is illustrated a form of the invention particularlysuited for use in the removal of safety valves from the domes of tankcars or for use in any similar instance in which a protruding pipe endis who manipulated.

InFigs. 5, 6 and 7 a showing is made of the alternate structural partsrequired to adapt the wrench principle to other uses.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, there is shown awrench base having an enlarged annular head portion l and body portion2. The body portion 2 carries oppositely-disposed, laterally-projectingears 3 and 4 supporting bosses 5 and 6 respectively. Each of the bossesis drilled, with the passage thus formed extending through the ear fromwhich it rises. A lever arm I having integrally formed yoke portions 8and 9 at its ends is eccentrically mounted on the boss 5 by means of thelever bolt assembly iii. The yoke portion 8 carries a pawl member II bymeans of the pawl bolt assembly l2 passing through suitable openings inthe yoke ends and the pawl. A fiat spring member l3 secured to the sideof arm I presses against the outer surface of the pawl I l.

A thrust block I4, having a dependent shank l5 extending into thedrilled passage in boss 6, is supported by the boss, and securedthereto, as shown in Fig. 2, by means of a nut l6 engaging the threadedend of the shank l5. The block I4 is drilled to provide free passage fora threaded eye-bolt H, the head of which is secured in yoke 9 by meansof bolt assembly IS. The free end of the eye-bolt ll normally carries apower nut l9, flanged as at 20, to which a reversible ratchet wrench issecured by means of lock ring 2| and set screw 22. The power nut I9 ispreferably spaced from the block l4 by means of washers 23.

The head i of the wrench base has an annular flange 24 extendinginwardly about the lower end of the opening therein, and is providedwith an annular cover plate 25, which with the flange 24 forms a recessadapted to receive an antifriction bearing or slip-ring 26, and alubricant packing.

Means for adjusting the relation of the wrench base to the collar may beprovided by base adjusting screws 21 and 28. Screw 21 may be disposed atthe extreme end of the body portion of the base I while the screws 28extend through ears 29 and which may be formed integral with the head I.

That portion of the assembly which directly engages the work and isactuated'to rotate is a collar member 30 having a ratchet toothed flange3! at its upper end. The flange portion, as shown, has inwardlyextending cars 32 carrying screws 33 for adjustment of the collar over'a. pipe end so that the toothed flange is level with the pawl H and maybe engaged thereby. The collar member 30 also has an inwardly extendingflange 34 at its lower end which provides a base for the collar andsupports a series of rectangular dogs 35 set in slots 36 in the innerwall of the collar. As shown, three dog receiving slots are provided atspaced intervals on the collar wall. At a point adjacent the bottom ofeach slot, adjusting screws 31 having flanged heads 38 are threadedthrough openings in the collar wall. Each of the dogs 35 is formed witha T- slot 38, in its rear surface, to receive the flanged head 38 of ascrew 31, and with teeth 40, on the front surface, to engage the work.In each slot 36, above each dog 35, is disposed a retainer block 4|secured to the rear wall of the slot by means of a retainer screw 42.

With specific reference to Figs. 3 and 4, in Fig. 3 is shown aperspective view of the wrench assembly in which the eye-bolt IT hasbeen removed from its connection in yoke 9, and a ratcheting handle 43substituted therefor. This figure indicates the relation of the wrenchto the work when used to break the connection between a safety valve 44and the dome 45 of a tank car. In this figure, the numeral 46 designatesthe rim and cover of a manhole in the dome 45.

Fig. 4, as previously noted, is a sectional elevation of a. portion ofthe wrench body, and ratchet wheel. or collar 30. In this instance, thework consists of a pipe end 41 having a flared top portion. In orderthat the annular portion of the wrench body may be placed over the pipeand yet engage the pipe in the required manner, it is necessary to use asplit anti-friction bearing ring 25a, of greater thickness. The ring hasa smaller inside diameter than that of the ring 26 shown in Fig. 2, andalthough of a conventional split-ring type is otherwise similar to thering 26 previously described.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated a two-section collar 30a in which the portionsare joined by a combination butt and lap joint as w and m, and securedas by bolts y.

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of a portion of the sectional ratchetwheel collar 30a providing a side View of the joint between sections.

In Fig. 7 is illustrated the head portion of a wrench base most suitablefor use when it is desired to start a threaded joint in which oneportion must be held stationary while the other is rotated, aspreviously set forth. Here, the head 48 of the base I is ofsubstantially Stillson type. The head is an enlarged portion of the basehaving a ridged, lateral surface 49 disposed in angular relation to thecenter line of the body 2. From the main portion of the head 48 projectparallel lugs 50 having concentric openings to provide passage for aresiliently-mounted, ridged clamping member 5|, adjustable with relationto the surface 49 by means of the knurled nut 52.

The method of operating the wrench assembly described above is nearlyself-evident from the description and by reference to Fig. 3 of thedrawings. As illustrated, the head of the wrench body is placed over theprotruding pipe end or valve casing, and the ratchet wheel collarapplied. Normally the ears 32 will rest upon the pipe end and establishthe position of the collar so that the ratchet teeth on flange 3| may beengaged by the pawl member II. If the ratchet teeth and pawl are not inproper association the adjusting screws 33 may be used to elevate thecollar to whatever height is required to properly position the ratchetteeth with relation to the pawl. Withthe collar in position on the pipeend, the screws 3! are turned to press the dogs 35 tightly against thepipe, the free end of the threaded eye-bolt I1 is passed through thethrust block l4 and the power nut threaded on the end. The eye-bolt isthen secured in the yoke 9.

When the wrench has been thus set up, the longer portion of the arm 1may be drawn toward the thrust block M by the movement of the eye-boltthrough the block l4 and nut l9 by ratcheting movement of the wrench.The eccentric mounting of the arm 1 provides for a lever action, thebolt 19 acting as a fulcrum, to force the pawl l I tangentially againstthe ratchet teeth on the collar 30 and with suflicient force to starteven the most severely jammed threaded pipe connection. Once the pipeconnection has been started, the eye-bolt may be disconnected from thearm 7, and the ratcheting handle 43 substituted in order to complete theunthreading of the pipe with greater speed.

It should be evident that the wrench body must be provided with a fixedlateral bearing surface in order that the thrust of the eye-bolt H orthe handle 43 may be resisted. In Fig. 3, the wrench body bears againstthe manhole rim or cover. Likewise, as the application of force willtend to cause rotation of the wrench body about an axial pointcoincident with the fulcrum provided by the bolt assembly ID, the innerface of the annular head is brought into contact with the pipe end whichis to be rotated. The slipring 26 prevents binding at this point.

The use and operation of an assembly of which the elements are shown anddescribed in connection with Figs. 5, 6 and 7 should be quite obvious.It is to be noted, however, that the parts are intended to besubstantially interchangeable. For instance, the base shown in Fig- 7may be used in conjunction with the collar illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and3, and likewise the sectional collar 30a may be used with the base shownin Fig. 7, if desired.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the drawingsare only for the purpose of illustrating the invention set forth, whichinvention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims inwhich it is intended to claim all novelty inherent in the invention, asbroadly as the prior art permits.

I claim:

1. A ratchet wrench assembly, comprising a wrench base, having anelongated body portion, and an annular head portion, a means mounted onsaid head to enga e the work, a lever and pawl assembly pivotallymounted eccentrically of the body portion in spaced relation to saidhead portion, a thrust block member pivotally mounted eccentrically ofthe body portion, laterally opposite said pawl and lever mounting, inspaced relation to the end of said body, screw rod means, supported insaid block, for imparting arcuate movement to said lever and pawlassembly, a peripherally ratchet-toothed collar, separate from the base,provided for fixed engagement with the work, and means carried by eachof the base and collar elements for adjusting respectively theirrelation to each other and to the work.

2. A ratchet wrench assembly according to claim 1, in which said meansmounted on said head portion is a slip ring rotatably secured in thehead, concentrically thereof.

3. A ratchet wrench assembly according to claim 1, in which the screwrod means for imparting arcuate movement to said lever and pawl assemblycomprises an eyebolt secured at one end to one end of the lever, saidbolt having a threaded portion extended through and supported in thethrust block pivotally mounted on said base, and a ratchet wrench,including a power nut in threaded engagement with said eyebolt, saidpower nut engageable with and thrusting against said thrust block, whenrotated, to draw the lever end toward said block.

GEORGE J. LANGMYHR.

